The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-11-14
RIOTING IN LONDON.

RIOTING IN LONDON.
Four Thousand Policemen In Combat with
Hundred Thousand Antagonists.
LONDON, Nov. 13-The scene at Trafalgar
square to-day has not been equalled since 1866
when the people, attesting their right to public
meeting, destroyed the ratings of Hyde Park.
Early in the day four thousand policemen took
possession of the square and its approaches.
prepared to hold it and prevent the advertised
etc.. began to arrive, after having marched
through the various districts in which they
belonged, headed by bands of music
and flying flags. banners streamers etc.
lists, Radicals, Irish societies. and a
few trades associations, and as fast as
they came to the square they were attacked and
dispersed by the police, only to reassembIe and
press forward later. AS the crowds became
more dense. fierce fights were started between
the police and the mob in Northumberland ave-
nue., Pail Mall and other adjacent streets,
in which the police were uniformly the victors.
One detachment, preceded by band, succeeded
in getting into the square, and bloody fight
ensued, which ended finally in the repulse of
the intruders and the injury of many persons.
With this detachment was Mr.. r. c. Graham,
Liberal member of Parliament for Northwest
Lanarkashire, who was seriously hurt and sub
seouently arrested on charge of assaulting the
police
At 4:3O P. NJ. the crowds numbered nearly 1oo,-
000 and it became perfectly manifest that
the police were poweress to dispense them. that
the military was summoned. In response Co
this call force of cavalry and infantry came
upon the ground, but they refrained from chare-
ing upon the multitude, because the people,
awed by the presence of the troops, had begun
to disperse and by dusk comparatively few re-
manned.
Two hundred citizens and forty of the police
were INJURED in the succession OF melees that
took place, and about fifty of the disturbers
were arrested, including Burns, the Socialist
leader. Some of those injured were we'll
enough to leave the hospitals after their WOUNDS
had been dressed. while others are so badly
hurt that they cannot fully recover
for weeks One patient in the Charing Cross
Hospital is terribly turned with vitrol which
was squirted on him from syringe. and another
man. who is severely cut in tho thigh and other
places. declares that he received his wounds
from two policemen, one of whom thrust bay
onet through his thigh while the other stabbed
him with knife knives Several of the in
jured policemen are suffering from knife wounds.
It was noticeable that the crowd, while boot
ing, jeering and execrating the police. cheered
the military. The infantry posted in the
mil Ia Of ha that tha oh
not take possession of the square in case they
succeeded in breaking through the police line,
and it is perhaps fortunate that they were pre-
vented, as it is believed that instructions had
been given that the riot act should be read and
the infantry fire upon the crowd the moment the
latter should break through the police Gordon.
Details of the Rioting.
LONDON. Nov. 13-An excited movement was
visible at o'clock at the Strand entrance of the
square. when. amid mighty minging of cheers
ana boots, a body of police was escorting
Graham and Burns to the center of tho square.
Inspector Hume says Graham, who was bare
headed and was leading 400 men, made a de-
termned effort to break the police lines in order
to enter the square. They were urarmed, but
used their fists freely. The police drew their
batons. and Graham received blow on the
forehead, and bled freely. Burns was
arrested withou. receiving a blow. After
Graharos wound had been dressed
by the police both prisoners were taken to a sta
ton. Graham released on bail. bat Burns
remained in custody.
In the meantime bodies of paraders mad ar
rived by every debouching avenue, but they
were dispersed and compelled to yield their flags
and banners. Numbers crowded omnibusses
and haraneued from the knife boards while the
vehicles slowly traversed the front Of the square
and Charne Cross. the crowd cheering wildly.
Then aprocession of seven brakes. crowded with
men carrying small red flags, drove past st.
Martins Church, and tried to stop in front Of
the National Gallery. The police compelled
them to move on. and they turned down the
west side and attempted to make circuit Of
the square. The police rushed to the horses
heads, but. finding that it would create q dis
turbance to suddenly turn the paraders off the
square, allowed them to complete the circuit
Several futile attempts were made to address the
crowd. Many persons who were hustled by the
police while asserting the right of thoroug hfare
became incensed and raised their sticks
against the officers. They were speed
ily disarmed and driven away
with cuffs by the police, who had been ordered
to refrain from using their batons unless it be-
came absolutely necessary for the purpose OF
defense. The passage to and fro of vehicles in
the vicinity did not cease during tho whole day,
and this increased the work OF the police. Had
the square been entirely closed there would
have been no difficulty whatever, but the con.
tinual traffic enabled crowds to form here and
there without ceasing.
At4:I5 loud cheers heralded the arrival of cav.
airy force with Colonel Talbot at its head, from
Whitehall aud Magistrate Marshall prepared to
read the riot act in such warning should
become necessary. but the crowd became good
in marked contrast with their demean-
or on the arrival of the mounted police. While
the guards trotted eight abreast around the
square, cheers went up. ccompanied by shouts
of Bravo marshal; we want free speech t'We
are all true Euelishmen. lrishmen and Scotch
men; Only want our legal rights as citizens
of London" second circuit of the square
by the guards elected opposition from a mob of
roughs in the crowd who shouted. "Britons